1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to hanging devices and, more specifically, a picture frame hanging bracket and system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous devices have been proposed for hanging picture frames. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,534 discloses a wire system for hanging picture frames. This patent discloses a device that secures wire and picture frames and other items mounted on a vertical support. The item can be used with both a single wire as well as two wires on a single picture frame. The disclosed device includes a support or bracket on which there are mounted rotatable levers that are complicated and cumbersome to use.
A PCT or International Published Patent Application WO2006091176 discloses a picture frame hanging device. Connectors are mounted on laterally opposing sides of a picture frame. Two substantially parallel threaded bores are formed in a housing. A wire to be secured is extended through a passage, generally in a vertical direction, and set screws are inserted through the threaded boxes to fix the wire within the passage. This requires the use of a screw driver or other suitable tool. It also creates the possibility of such set screws being lost or stripped, rendering the device fully or partially inoperative.
An adjustable picture hanging device design is disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. D262687. The disclosed device requires a separate eyelet or eye screw secured to the back of the picture frame. A wire extends through the eyelet and into a generally cylindrical plug having a raised rim at one end and a tapered conical portion at the other end. The wire extends through a central channel through the eyelet and the wire is then folded upon itself. The plug is then forced through the opening in the eyelet to provide a press or friction fit, with the free end of the wire being captured between the plug and the eyelet. This device, therefore, includes two separate nesting parts either one of which can be lost or misplaced.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,455,961 is for a picture hanger and U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,538 for an adjustable cable picture-hanging system both involve the use of clamps and a plurality of separate parts or components.